UAE lottery operator launches online casino and betting brands

The company behind the UAE’s only licensed lottery has launched its own online betting and casino platforms named TrueWin and Dream Island, according to records reviewed by AGBI.

Both websites feature casino and sports betting sections. The casino offers live dealer games, poker, roulette and slots, while the sportsbook allows wagers on football, tennis, cricket, basketball and other sports.

Both sites operate under Momentum, the company behind the UAE Lottery, and are already live — despite no law yet being published to legalise gambling in the Emirates. Momentum is not a federal entity, but at the time of writing, it is the only company offering “legal” gaming with the lottery. 

Legalising gambling would mark a historic policy shift for the UAE. Analysts say such a move could significantly boost the economy, drawing investment and tourism. It would generate gaming revenue equivalent to about 1.3 percent of GDP, or roughly $6.6 billion, according to Bloomberg Intelligence — surpassing Singapore.

A physical casino has already been approved in Ras Al Khaimah, where a multibillion-dollar Wynn Resorts complex is under construction.

Momentum had already hinted at plans for a gaming platform. Five months ago the company posted a job listing for a “commercial director for an online casino and sportsbook brand preparing to launch”. 

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Records show truewin.ae was registered in March 2023, several months before the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA), the UAE’s gaming regulator, was formally established in September 2023.

Unlike the UAE Lottery website, TrueWin and Dream Island do not display any licensing information from the regulator. Dream Island was registered even earlier, in 2020.

AGBI has contacted Momentum and the GCGRA for comment.